Snowbound
by WithTheGrain
Summary: Written for the Gabby Shipper Forum 2011 SeSa exchange.  Gibbs and Abby get caught in a snowstorm and end up stranded at a motel.  Rating changes to M with Chapter 5.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Driving to Stillwater for Christmas, Gibbs and Abby get caught in a snowstorm and end up stranded at a motel.

**A/N:** Written for the Gabby Shipper Forum 2011 Secret Santa exchange for bbfan

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><p>Gibbs surveyed the full trunk of his car and turned to Abby as she approached. "Sure you got everything?"<p>

"I know, I know. I probably brought too much," she answered with a note of embarrassment.

Gibbs snapped the trunk lid closed. "Not a problem, Abbs. Just askin'." He walked around to the passenger side to open her door but she moved in front of him.

"You sure it's okay that I'm coming with you?"

He saw the concern in her green eyes. "Jack asked about everyone, to make sure no one was left alone this Christmas. He especially asked about you."

"He did?" she said with genuine surprise.

As she stepped to the side, Gibbs pulled her door open. "Yep," he answered then leaned closer to her ear and spoke softly, "You know, you're his favorite."

Her eyes quickly dropped to stare at the black pavement as a small smile graced her lips. She turned to slip inside the car, but instantly spun to face Gibbs again, her braided pigtails flying out and nearly clipping him across the nose. "But is it okay with you that I'm coming?"

He rested a hand behind her on the roof of the car. "Abby, are you looking for an excuse not to come?"

"No!" she answered quickly. "I just… feel like I'm intruding on your holiday with Jackson."

Leaning forward, Gibbs pressed his lips gently against her cheek. "You're not. It feels very natural that you're coming with me."

The kiss warmed her insides and the sparkle of Gibbs' bright blue eyes was too intense for her to linger. Quickly, she ducked inside the car, acknowledging to herself that it did feel quite natural for her to be going home with Gibbs for Christmas. She had that feeling because she was in love with the man, but of course he didn't know that. So why did it feel natural to him, she wondered.

Gibbs slid in behind the steering wheel and paused a moment before starting the engine. "You're thinking too hard," he said, glancing her way.

Abby looked up and saw a different expression on Gibbs' face. He was relaxed and… happy. "Just… uummmm, making sure I didn't forget anything."

Starting the engine, he pulled away from the curb and they were finally on their way. "No more worrying. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

"It's going to be so nice not having to spend Christmas alone in my tiny apartment. But y'know, I feel guilty. You could've… should've left hours ago." She nibbled on her bottom lip.

"Never considered it, Abbs. You were gonna come with me and that's all there was to it," he stated with a finality.

Abby had had to work late to finish running some important tests for Balboa's team. He didn't mind in the least having to wait for her, although now he was a bit concerned about the wintry weather that was forecasted to move into Pennsylvania overnight. It was supposed to be a heavy snowstorm moving out of Canada, sweeping across The Great Lakes. The exact path of the storm was still unpredicted. The weather people couldn't get an accurate read on the storm track until it actually moved across Lake Huron and Lake Erie. And by that time, Gibbs hoped to be in Stillwater.

"You think they have snow in Stillwater?" Abby asked, breaking into his thoughts.

Gibbs smiled. "It's December in Pennsylvania, Abbs. You can almost count on it."

She looked dreamily out her side window. "I'd like to go for a nice walk on Christmas night; look at all the lights put up around town."

Reaching over, he grasped one of her hands. "Sounds good. We'll do that together, okay?"

Abby felt a tingle rush up her arm as he gave her palm a light squeeze. "Better then okay," she answered with a smile in his direction. When he didn't withdraw his hand, she was surprised and pleased. It felt awfully nice having her hand ensconced within his large warm one and resting easily on her thigh.

Holiday traffic was heavy and it took them an hour to get past the northern Washington D.C. suburbs. Gibbs eventually turned onto a two-lane county road with considerably less traffic. He was no longer holding Abby's hand, having to negotiate several turns, but now the road stretched ahead and he wished he could reach over and feel her delicate fingers slide across his palm and entwine with his.

Abby's voice broke his train of thought. "Shouldn't we be on the interstate?"

"Too much traffic. We'll make better time with this route," he answered.

"You won't get lost?" she inquired and he gave her THAT look for a response. It was a look that made most people want to shrink and hide, but Abby had never been intimidated by his silent glare. "Well, I'm just asking. How many times have you actually driven from DC to Stillwater? And of those times, how often have you not taken the interstate?"

"Do you want me to lay the route out for you, Abbs?"

"No, I trust you."

Gibbs smiled and nodded as he kept his eyes on the road. "You're the co-pilot, so you run the controls," he stated as he motioned with his hand towards the radio and heater.

"You sure you want to let me control the radio?" she asked with surprise.

He repeated the words she had said just moments before. "I trust you."

Over the next hour, they talked easily about Christmas, Stillwater, work, and the plans that the rest of their friends had made for the holiday. Abby was relating a conversation she had had with Toby Fornell when suddenly she stopped mid-sentence and slowly said with awe, "It's snowing, Gibbs."

"Yeah, I noticed," he responded with an air of concern.

"Oh, I hope it doesn't stop." Abby put her hands together as if in prayer. "Please, please, please, let it keep snowing. I hope it snows all night and all day tomorrow."

"I hope it quits until we at least get to Jack's," he grumbled.

"Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed, "What would Christmas be like without snow?"

"Like it usually is, where you come from. I don't like driving on snowy icy roads."

"I expect a white Christmas, but you're right," she agreed. "Let's get there first."

Gibbs didn't let his concern show, but within the next half hour, the weather quickly changed. The wind had turned gusty and the snow turned from thick downy flakes to icy pellets. The temperature continued to steadily drop.

As the snow began to build up on the highway, Gibbs had slowed his speed. Abby's eyes were riveted to the road, shocked by the severe snowstorm they had driven into. She took a second to glance over at Gibbs. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine," he assured. "Just taking it slow and easy." The highway was a sea of snow, with the markings no longer visible and as the wind came in great gusts, there were intermittent white-outs. Gibbs was simply guiding his car by keeping it between the ditches. He was hoping that there would be a break in the storm so they could at least make it the rest of the way. "We should be coming to the interstate pretty soon. Hopefully the plows are keeping that cleared of snow."

Abby had never experienced such raw and wild winter conditions out on a highway. It was nerve-racking and stressful, trying to peer through the whiteness into the dark night.

Within a few minutes, Gibbs was carefully easing his way down the on-ramp to the larger highway, which had obviously been plowed and salted. "This is a little better," he stated with relief.

Feeling better with the safer road conditions, Abby started to relax. "How long can we stay on this?"

Still hoping for a temporary break in the storm, Gibbs confessed, "Not long. Maybe ten miles at the most."

"This isn't good, Gibbs. I don't think we're not going to make it."

"Sure, we'll make it, Abbs," he stated with far more confidence than he felt.

"How much further?"

He hesitated. "We haven't quite made it to Pennsylvania yet."

Abby dropped her chin and rolled her head from side to side. "We are SO not going to make it," she mumbled.

When Gibbs steered his car off the plowed four-lane highway and onto a snow-drifted narrow country road, he was beginning to wonder if Abby was right, but he tried to keep a positive attitude. "I think the snow is starting to let up."

Leaning forward, she turned to look closely at his face. "Just checking to make sure you still had your eyes open," she said, shifting her gaze back towards the road. "Because it looks to me like it's getting worse. Isn't there a town around here somewhere?"

Gibbs could feel his car hesitate as it hit each snowdrift. "Back by the highway there was a town. Why?"

"Maybe we should go back and stay there for the night."

"Not an option, Abbs. Things aren't that bad yet."

Looking out at the blowing snow, Abby had to disagree. She knew it was the Marine in Gibbs that kept him driving forward. Never give up. Onward and upward. Do or die. _Well… scratch that last one._ Thirty minutes passed and they weren't making much headway.

"You see those lights ahead?" Gibbs suddenly asked.

Abby squinted as she tried to peer through the wind-driven snow. "Yeah, I saw them, just briefly. What do you think they are?"

"Hopefully a snowplow we can follow."

It wasn't until they were nearly upon the lights that Abby announced, "It's the police."

"State Trooper," Gibbs confirmed. The officer was standing beside a barricade, waving his arms. When they came to a stop, the man hustled over to their car and snow billowed inside the warm interior as Gibbs lowered the window. "What's going on?"

The trooper had to shout over the roaring storm. "This road is closed. Drifted shut."

"Closed?"

The officer shined his flashlight directly into Gibbs' face. "Yeah, as in not open." He then focused his light on Abby. "You'll have to take Highway 84 east here."

Gibbs dropped his gaze to the dim lights on his dashboard. "That's out of our way. We need to head west."

The state trooper pulled his collar up tighter around his neck. "This is your only choice, buddy. A plow just went up 84 about five minutes ago."

"Alright, thanks," Gibbs responded and quickly rolled up his window. "Well, what d'ya think, Abbs?"

The interior of the car had cooled considerably and Abby briskly rubbed her hands together. They watched the trooper wade through knee-deep drifts back to his squad car. "We should follow the plow," she finally answered, "and we need a motel for the night. The sooner the better."

Gibbs could hear the resignation in her voice. For the past two hours they had been struggling through the storm in the dark winter evening; both concentrating on the road, peering into the white snow, watching it blow in gusts across the road and against their windshield. He could feel the tightness in his shoulders and fatigue in his eyes. Travelling under these conditions was exhausting.

Reaching over, he took her hands in his and felt the iciness of her slim fingers. He rubbed them gently between his rough palms. Her weary green eyes looked at him and he immediately felt guilty for putting her through this. He should have stopped at a motel an hour ago and now he wanted to kick himself for the tired and worried look he saw on her face. "You're right, Abbs. We'll stop for the night at the first place we see. I'm sorry."

Abby's eyes grew round. "Don't say that! This storm isn't your fault. Don't go soft on me now, Marine." Her lips and eyes crinkled into a smile.

He had never met a woman more forgiving. "I shouldn't have pushed so hard." Bringing her warmed hands to his mouth, he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. When he looked up, her head was bowed forward and it would have been so easy to lean in and kiss her beautiful lips in re-assurance.

Instead, Gibbs released her hands and turned the car onto the road headed east. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into a small road-side traveler's motel. The cars in the parking lot were almost indiscernible, laden with snow. After turning off the engine, he and Abby both gave heavy sighs.

He chuckled when she giggled. "Let's just hope they have a couple of rooms for us," he stated.

"They better, Gibbs!" Abby said adamantly. "I'll sleep in the lobby if I have to."

"Let's hope not," he responded and turned his body towards her. "Okay, here's the plan. We'll get out, get what we need from the trunk, and you follow behind me. Let me make a path through the snow for you. But stay close so you don't lose me. Hang on to my coat or something. Ready?"

Abby gave a firm nod. "Ready."

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><p>AN: To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

A few minutes later, Gibbs pushed through the main door to the motel with Abby holding tight to the back of his coat. Briefly, she rested her forehead against his back, between his shoulders. Snow fell in chunks as they stomped their feet and brushed at their coats.

A short elderly woman greeted them at the check-in desk; her face expressionless and her voice a careless monotone. "Welcome to the Deer Run Inn," she iterated.

Gibbs was already reaching for his wallet. "We'd like two rooms for the night.

"One room left," she droned. "Take it or leave it."

Abby quickly stepped forward. "We'll take it." Gibbs grinned at the woman then filled out a form and provided a credit card.

He looked at the small white name tag pinned to the woman's left chest. "Thank you, Marta."

She jerked her chin up into the air as she slid a key onto the desk. "Second floor, room 214." Marta turned to go back to her chair and t.v. and added, "Have a nice stay."

Grabbing their luggage, they headed around a corner to the elevator. As the doors closed, Gibbs held out his hand, palm up. "Look at this. A metal key, not some plastic card. Don't expect too much when we get to the room."

Exiting the elevator, they walked down a narrow hall, hearing muffled voices as they passed other rooms. "The Deer Run Inn," Abby said thoughtfully. "Wonder if that means anything?"

Gibbs used the key on the door with 214 painted in bright orange. As they stepped inside, he flipped on a light and they stopped, side by side, staring at their surroundings.

Abby let her luggage slip from her hands. "Wow, this must be the honeymoon suite."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs turned to recheck the number on the door before closing and locking it.

Abby went further into the room, walking around and looking at everything. The dominating features were pale pink walls and a large heart-shaped bed. A red and white striped love seat set in a small alcove to the right. In front of the undersized couch was a pink painted stand with a large flat screen t.v. perched on top. A small cold fireplace, without a mantle, was built into the wall near the bed. A deep red shag carpet covered the entire floor.

Gibbs tossed the room key onto a wooden pink painted table that had two white chairs set up to it. "Looks like Saint Valentine vomited in here," he commented.

Abby stared at a large mounted deer head hanging on the wall above the fireplace. "Not very Christmassy," she mumbled, feeling sorry for the buck that had been killed.

Gibbs could see that she was agitated. "Why don't you relax with a hot bath and I'll get us something to eat. You think they have room service?"

Grabbing the smallest of her three bags, Abby headed into the bathroom as Gibbs searched for the phone. There was several seconds of silence before a shrieking scream issued from inside the bathroom. Instantly, Gibbs was pulling his gun and moving across the room. The door banged open and Abby charged out.

She had already removed her shirt, but it was clutched in her hands as she held it over her chest. "There's a… there's a b… bear in there!" Gibbs shot her an incredulous look. "Behind the door, a bear!" she insisted.

With his gun still drawn, Gibbs moved into the bathroom then spun and kicked the door shut. Two seconds later he came out, re-holstering his weapon. "It's a stuffed bear."

"I know that! But it's the whole bear! Standing in the corner like it's gonna come at me. Did you see those teeth? And those claws reaching out?" Abby was about to imitate the pose of the stuffed black bear but quickly realized she wasn't actually wearing her shirt. "I can't go back in there, Gibbs. Jeeeez! What is the matter with these people? A nice room like this and then they put dead creepy animals all around."

Gibbs had disappeared into the bathroom again and came out grinning and chuckling softly. "I can't move it, Abby. It's anchored down. Guess they didn't want anyone to steal it." She was sitting on the edge of the bed and with a jolt, he realized for the first time that her upper body was naked, covered only by a small shirt that she held to her breasts. The creamy skin of her shoulders and arms and stomach were all revealed to his eyes. And god, he couldn't help but let his gaze roam slowly across her body.

Abby watched his eyes and felt her skin heat in response. "Cover it up, Gibbs," she spoke in a quiet tone.

His eyes instantly dropped to his zipper then his chin jerked up. "Huh?"

"I don't want that bear watching me when I'm in there."

"Right," he responded, moving towards the couch. "I'll take a blanket and throw it over the beast." He chuckled nervously. "We'll cover it up."

_Get it together, Marine! You're acting like a schoolboy!_

Grabbing a folded blanket, Gibbs turned and his eyes instantly focused on Abby's bare back. He was seeing every tattoo, all at once. The stick figures on her shoulders and the beautiful ornate cross on her lower center back. The very bottom of the cross was hidden beneath her waistband, but this was the most he had ever seen of it. His feet stopped momentarily as he looked at every line and swirl and intimate detail. Unknowingly, he took a step closer to the bed, tempted to reach out and trace the inked lines with his fingertips.

When Abby reached up to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear, that's when he saw it, the soft outer swell of her right breast. It was round and beautiful and enticing. He could imagine pressing a kiss to the warm supple skin. Gibbs instantly gave himself a mental head slap. This was Abby, for crying out loud! She didn't think of him in that way and he certainly shouldn't be gazing upon her smooth, unintentionally exposed, skin!

As Gibbs' long strides took him past her, towards the bathroom, Abby gave a small knowing smile. The bit of bare skin that she had exposed was definitely having an effect on him. And when she had reached up to fix her hair, she was almost positive he had let out a low moan. Was Gibbs physically attracted to her? Hmmmm, she'd have to keep that in mind as the night progressed.

Thirty minutes later, Abby had taken her bath and was dressed in her warm black and red flannel pajamas. Gibbs had retrieved sandwiches and hot coffee from the small motel kitchen on the first floor. They sat across from one another on the white wooden chairs at the small pink table. The sound of the howling wind continued to remind them of the raging blizzard outside and once in a while, icy snow pelted their window.

Abby took a bite of her thick ham and cheese sandwich. She hadn't eaten since lunch and her stomach growled with appreciation. "Did you call Jack and tell him where we are?" she asked, after half her sandwich was gone.

"Yeah, while you were in the bath. He doesn't know if we'll be able to even make it to his place tomorrow."

Abby couldn't help the disappointed look on her face. "Some Christmas, huh?"

Gibbs had finished his sandwich and sat back, drinking his coffee. "From where I'm sitting, it couldn't get much better," he said positively.

Abby smiled. "Even though we're stuck in the middle of nowhere in a drab little motel?" His eyes were dark and serious as he looked across the table, and Abby felt a tingle shimmy down her spine. Suddenly she was glad that she was stuck in this little motel with Gibbs. The look he was giving her was positively smoldering.

"As long as I'm with you, Abby, nothing else matters."

Standing up quickly, she moved towards the bed to get away from his intense blue gaze. Lifting her suitcase onto the coverlet, she opened it. "I was planning on going to Mass tonight."

Gibbs gathered up the wrappings to their sandwiches and threw them away. "I know. I was gonna take you."

She was digging for her book buried beneath sweatshirts and jeans. "You were?"

"I'm gonna take a shower," was all he responded with.

"I'm gonna read," she said softly and walked towards the couch. Sitting, she pulled a blanket across her legs then watched Gibbs root around in his bag for his sleepwear. As he continued to search, Abby wondered if perhaps he hadn't brought anything to sleep in. They hadn't expected to be sharing a room, so maybe he hadn't packed pajamas. She even wondered if perhaps when he was alone, if he slept in the nude.

Abby could feel her cheeks start to warm as her thoughts strayed. Dropping her eyes to her open book, she knew she had to get her mind on a different track. But to what? The snow and the cold outside. The deep white drifts and bone-chilling wind. Coming in from outside and curling up to Gibbs' hot naked body.

_NO! Snow… cold. Repeat. Snow… cold… snow… cold… snow… cold._

Gibbs disappeared into the bathroom and Abby released the tension in her body, physically shuddering from head to toe. Dropping her head back to rest against the couch, she closed her eyes and pressed her cool hands against her burning cheeks.

_Get a grip, Sciuto! Musn't lose control!_

Opening her eyes, Abby smiled and whispered aloud, "Play the game you've always wanted to play." Quickly moving back to her suitcase, she unbuttoned her cozy flannel top to add something a bit more revealing beneath it. Returning to the couch, she listened to the spray of the shower as images of her silver-haired fox danced in her head. So what if she was opening her fantasy Christmas gift a bit early. She wanted to enjoy at least one present on Christmas Eve.

As she waited for Gibbs to rejoin her, the lights began to flicker and at one point, they actually went off before instantly coming back on. The lights continued to fluctuate for several minutes before a complete blackout occurred. Expecting the lights to regain their energy, she sat and waited in the dark.

"Abby!" Gibbs yelled from the bathroom.

"I'm okay, Gibbs," she called back.

"Don't move. I'll come to you."

Instead of staying put, Abby carefully made her way to her suitcase and could hear Gibbs enter the room. Knowing exactly what she was doing, her fingers easily found her flashlight and she flicked it on. Swinging the beam around the room, she saw that Gibbs had wandered over near the door.

When the bright light landed on his face, he raised a bare arm, shielding his eyes. "You've got a headlamp?" he stated with surprise.

Abby reached up to her forehead and tilted the lamp down off his face. "Yeah, don't you? I always pack it whenever I travel." It was then that she noticed he was only wearing a white towel around his waist. The light glistened off water droplets covering his bared upper-torso. Abby's heart rate quickened as she watched the water drip from his dark silver hair, onto his broad shoulders, then trickle slowly down his muscular chest and flat stomach before getting absorbed into the towel.

_Oh, to be one of those drops of water, _she thought.

Gibbs stepped towards her with a small grin. "That's good thinking, Abbs. All I have is a small penlight in my bag."

"You really should get a headlamp," she responded and watched him move past her to retrieve his light. "The strap goes around your head so it leaves your hands free for doing stuff. When I travel with friends, I use it as a reading light in bed."

Her lamp landed upon the rippling muscles of his arms then down to his broad hands and long fingers that were searching inside his bag. The incredible sight of his wet toned body was making her jittery, so she kept talking. "It even has a high and low beam." Reaching up, she flicked a switch on the lamp to demonstrate. "This isn't the only one I have, either. I keep one in my car and in my nightstand and I even have one in my lab. That one has come in real handy on several occasions. And the one in my car, well, I couldn't live without it."

Gibbs straightened and switched on his tiny penlight. "I didn't think you were afraid of the dark, Abbs."

"Oh, I'm not," she answered quickly. "I just hate bumping into things. Leaves nasty bruises." Her light reflected off the many droplets that hung tenuously to his silver chest hair and she felt that tingle shimmy down her spine again.

"I'm gonna finish drying off and get dressed," he said, heading for the bathroom. "Then we should go down to the lobby and see what's up."

Several minutes later, when Gibbs re-emerged, he found the room lit with many flickering candles. "You pack these too, Abby?" he asked with surprise.

She no longer wore her headlamp and continued lighting more candles around the room. "I found them in the nightstand. A whole drawer full. Plus some instructions we should follow during a power outage." She handed two laminated sheets to Gibbs. Setting down the box of matches, she moved to sit beside him on the bed. "So, what do the instructions say?"

Gibbs skimmed the paragraphs and read the highlights aloud. "They have two generators but they're not big enough to run everything in the motel. Keep the lights off, use the candles. Turn the thermostat down, way down. Run as little water as possible. There's wood available if we want to use the fireplace. Simple meals will be provided and delivered three times a day in a basket that will be placed outside our door."

"Sounds like they want to keep everyone in their rooms," Abby observed.

"The less people wandering around in the dark, the better." Gibbs continued reading. "There are extra blankets in the closet along with some games."

Abby's eyes scanned the room. "I haven't seen a closet, have you?"

"No. Did you look in the cabinet under the t.v.?"

"Guess the t.v. is useless, too," Abby stated as she pulled open the small doors beneath it. "Oh, wow! I don't think we'll get bored." One by one she pulled out the items and named them off. "Two decks of cards, checkers, chess, Monopoly, and cribbage."

"I think we've only got the two extra blankets," Gibbs stated, "and the bear is using one."

Abby threw him a sly smile. "We'll just have to sleep close."

Gibbs grinned in response. "I have no problem with that."

"So you weren't planning on sleeping on the couch tonight?"

"Are you kidding?" he said giving a small snort. "I've never slept in a heart-shaped bed. This may be my only chance."

Abby turned away to hide her smile and felt a fluttering in her stomach. This Christmas was getting better all the time. She fiddled with the thermostat, trying to regain her composure. "Would you mind starting a fire? Might stay a little warmer that way."

"I was thinking the same thing," he agreed. "We could set the table in front of the fire and play a couple games."

Abby nodded. "It's scary sometimes how much we think alike. What should we play?"

"Up to you, Abbs," he responded before heading out the door to retrieve some wood.

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><p><strong>AN:** To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who continues to follow this story. Your reviews, alerts, and favorites are very much appreaciated.

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><p>Gibbs had grabbed Abby's headlamp and now slipped it over his head as he strode down the narrow hallway.<p>

He had seen the way Abby had looked at him when he was wearing only a towel. It had made his blood heat. And now he would be spending the night with her in a candle-lit room with a cozy fire and eventually sharing a 'honeymoon' bed. He could see that it certainly wasn't going to be an easy night to control his attraction towards her. Every time he was alone with her, he found it harder and harder not to pull her close and kiss her until they were both breathless.

Gibbs took a deep calming breath as he descended the stairs to the first floor. He tried setting his mind upon seeing Abby as just co-worker, not someone he should be thinking about starting a relationship with. As far as he knew, she thought of him as just a friend. For him to press his attraction towards her, could lead to a falling out. A total devastation of their friendship. A ruined workplace connectivity that would undoubtedly affect everyone around them. It would be putting too much at risk. He should stay the course and be happy with what he currently had.

_But what if she had the same feelings?_

There was a small room beyond the back of the lobby that was filled with solid dry chunks of wood. No one was around, so Gibbs filled his arms and retreated back to their room on the second floor. He dumped the wood into a large wooden crate beside the fireplace. An old newspaper lay folded next to the crate and he started wadding it up to use in starting the fire.

For a few moments, he let his eyes roam around the empty room, and wondered where Abby was. She had moved the small pink table and white chairs close to the hearth. On the tabletop, she had a game of Monopoly all set up. He smiled at her choice of games.

Just as he was striking a match to the fire, Abby flew through the door. His penlight was held in a white-knuckled grip as she approached and set a bucket of ice on the table. Flicking the light off and tossing it onto the bed, she tried to catch her breath. "Too many freakin' animals in this place, Gibbs! Do you think some people come here and actually like seeing them? I'd much rather see them free and out in the wild!"

He was still intent on coaxing the flames to take hold of the wood. "What was it this time?"

"A skunk! On the floor by the ice machine. It looked so real!"

"What's the ice for, Abbs? You having a hot flash?" He was still hunkered down, but he turned to look at her with a teasing grin.

Abby wasn't feeling hot until that very moment, when she saw his sweatpants stretched across his groin and thighs. He was definitely the most well-built man she had ever seen. She swallowed hard to keep her voice from squeaking with her response. "I've got a bottle of wine." Opening the zipper on her large suitcase, she pulled out the tall slender bottle. "Was gonna share this with Jack tonight."

Gibbs stood and placed the spark-arrestor screen in front of the growing fire. As Abby slid the table closer to the hearth, he saw she already had the wine nestled in the ice and plastic cups beside it along with a corkscrew. He craned his neck to the side. "What else you got in there, Abbs? Santa Claus and his elves?"

Placing her hands on his square shoulders, she guided him back to a chair. "You never mind. I have a few more surprises," she said with a wink. "You be a good boy. Now, let's get this party started."

Abby's feistiness was contagious and Gibbs flirted back in a low tone. "What if I'm a bad boy?"

Giving a smirk, she turned towards her seat. "Then you can expect coal for your Christmas gift."

Gibbs sat and grabbed the dice, rolling them around in his large palm. There was a teasing glint in his blue eyes and a roughness in his voice. "Otherwise, what can I expect?"

Abby wiggled on the seat of her chair as she felt that their conversation could go beyond mild flirtation. "You'll have to be very very good to find out."

They started the game and Abby took the early lead because Gibbs kept landing on the square that continually sent him to jail. Abby laughed at the irony that the NCIS Special Agent was constantly cooling his heels behind bars or bailing himself out.

Eventually, Gibbs opened the bottle of wine and poured some into their clear plastic cups. "This is good, Abbs," he commented after his first couple of sips.

She raised her cup over the game board. "Here's to a white Christmas and a decent place to sleep."

Gibbs smiled and raised his cup to meet hers. "Here's to the people we spend it with." Abby grinned as they both sipped more wine. "I wouldn't want to be here without you, Abbs."

The serious look on his face sent a tingle across her skin. "Without me, you'd be stuck in some drift out on some road in the middle of nowhere."

"You're probably right. I would have kept pushing on."

Abby poured more wine into their cups. "That's what makes you a helluva good agent."

Gibbs felt uncomfortable accepting the compliment. "I don't know about that. It's what makes me a bastard to work for."

"I love working for you!"

"I'm demanding and cranky when things don't get done fast enough," he continued.

"You're compassionate for the victims, that's all. And the team doesn't function as well without your leadership."

"You know all my flaws, Abby, so quit putting me on a pedestal."

"If you have so many flaws, then why do your agents stick with you? We've worked together for over ten years and I think I know you pretty good." His eyes were lowered, staring at the game board. "You've got some baggage in your personal life, but doesn't everyone? Look at the boyfriends I've had to deal with. Quit beating yourself up over would haves and should haves. We all have things in our past we need to get over, Gibbs." Her cup sat on the table and she turned it round with her fingers as her eyes gazed at the red liquid. "It doesn't make me love you any less," she added softly.

A couple seconds passed before Gibbs reached across the table and gently took hold of her fingers. When her eyes lifted to his, he wanted to make the same declaration in return, but the words caught in his throat.

Abby doubted whether he really understood the love she had for him, so she quickly smiled and laughed and pulled her hand back. "This is getting WAY too serious. We've got a game to play here. I'm winning, so quit distracting me."

Gibbs gave a small sideways grin. "It's your turn. Roll."

As she rolled the dice and moved her game piece, Gibbs got up to lay a few more pieces of wood on the fire. Her eyes drifted from the board to his large strong hands that expertly arranged the wood upon the flames. He was hunkered down on the small stone hearth and her gaze eventually roamed up his sinewy arms and down his long lean back to his butt.

She wondered how on earth she was supposed to share the same bed with him and resist the temptation to touch. She almost moaned aloud when she thought of grabbing his fine ass and grinding against him.

When Gibbs stood and replaced the screen in front of the fire, she quickly finished her turn then took a couple of swallows of wine to try and calm her racing heart. As he sat and studied the game board then rolled the dice, Abby poured more wine.

"You're getting it nice and toasty in here now," she quipped. "Or maybe it's the wine," she giggled. "I've got to take off this heavy flannel top."

Abby noticed that Gibbs kept his eyes locked on his property deeds as she unbuttoned and removed her pajama top. "Whew! That's better." She lifted the dice and shook them noisily between her hands. Raising them to her mouth, she blew on the dice and continued to rattle them as though she were trying to dislodge the white dots from the two cubes. Her eyes studied the board. "Abby needs a seven!" she announced.

Gibbs was chuckling softly as he looked up, but his mirth quickly faded when he saw the black satin camisole that hugged Abby's curves. Her breasts were jumping as she rattled the dice and he felt the immediate affect rush through his body. His blood heated and careened south.

Abby threw the dice onto the board as he reached for his wine. "A seven!" she screamed, and her hands flew into the air as she half rose out of her chair.

For the brief time that her hands were stretched above her head, her camisole rose up, revealing her naval and a pale strip of skin above her waistband. Gibbs' cup stilled in mid-air as he swallowed, desperate for something to wet his arid mouth. His body was responding in all the right ways… _wrong… wrong ways, Gunny!_ When the wine finally reached his lips, he gulped it down and refilled his cup.

Meanwhile, Abby settled in her chair and reached across to his side of the board to move her game piece. The reach wasn't that far, and she didn't have to, but she leaned forward over the table, allowing Gibbs to gaze down the front of her top. Her eyes suddenly rose to his and caught him peeking. When she winked, he nearly came unglued!

Gibbs felt his ears redden and he wanted desperately to push away from the table in order to get away from the temptation that was SO within his reach. But had he slid his chair back and stood, Abby would have surely noticed his uncontrollable hard-on.

He figured the next best tactic was intimidation. With a glare and a warning growl of "Abby…" he hoped she would retreat. Instead, she lifted a hand and scraped a nail along one side of his jaw. When her finger would have risen to glide over his lips, Gibbs jerked back. "Stop it!" he demanded. "That's enough!"

With a smirk, Abby withdrew and sat back in her chair. "What's the matter, Gibbs? You know what we both…."

"No!" he cut in. "You've had too much to drink."

"Oh, c'mon," she scoffed. "I've had a little wine. And now I'm having a little fun. Aren't you having fun?" she teased.

Gibbs began gathering up the game cards and pieces and putting them back in the box. "This game is over," he said in a more gentle tone. "I'll clear up. Why don't you read your book or something."

Abby stood and suddenly felt embarrassed and dismayed. How could she have been so wrong? He was actually refusing her, turning her away! She must have misread his looks and reactions. Picking up her flannel top, she moved to the couch and watched him from behind.

Gibbs slowly and carefully put the game back in the box, giving his body time to calm down. He knew he had hurt her feelings, which was a clear indication that he was indeed a bastard! But now he was pretty certain of how she felt about him. Damn it! She definitely wanted more than just friendship. Damn it! It's what he wanted, too. Damn it!

All the reasons NOT to get involved with Abby, rolled through his mind even though he wanted it… wanted her. A relationship would complicate things at work. He was her boss. He couldn't risk starting something unless he was certain that it would last. Their friendship is what held him together through the bad times. He was no good at relationships. Three divorces had proven that. He had a boatload of baggage and she certainly didn't deserve that.

Abby sat quietly and watched him close the lid on the game box, then he stood and went out the door. If there had been a basement with a boat, she knew that's where he would have headed.

She slipped on her flannel top and buttoned it up. From her suitcase, she pulled out a brand new bottle of bourbon and drug both chairs closer to the fire. Pouring herself a small portion, she stared into the flames and sipped at the amber liquor. Her feet rested on the other chair, closer to the heat, making her feel warm and relaxed. After pouring more bourbon into her cup, she raised it into the air and mumbled, "Here's to one helluva screwed up Christmas Eve, Sciuto."

She sat for over an hour, drinking and thinking and wondering about Gibbs. She had tried and failed to seduce the man. No harm done… hopefully. Eventually, the warmth of the fire combined with the liquor was putting her to sleep, so she capped the bottle, set it on the table and crawled into the heart-shaped bed… alone.

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><p><strong>AN:** To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

When Gibbs entered the room twenty minutes later, he walked to the tip of the bed and looked tenderly upon Abby's sleeping form. She was curled up in a ball, the blankets fisted under her chin as if she were cold. As he moved to add another chunk of wood to the fire and bank it up for the night, he noticed the bottle of bourbon. She had been drinking alone, something he knew about all too well.

After the fire was taken care of, he went around the room, blowing out the candles. Leaving his sweatpants on, he pulled off his sweatshirt, leaving on the t-shirt under it. Gibbs quietly crawled into bed and slid over beside Abby. As soon as he touched her chilled body, she moved into his arms, pressing close to absorb his body heat. He rubbed his warm hands up and down her arm and back.

Her voice was sleepy and slow when she spoke. "I'm sorry, Gibbs. I'll never do that again."

Her head was tucked under his chin and he pressed a kiss against her silky hair. "I'm sorry, too, Abbs. I over-reacted. I ruined your fun."

"Nah. You were the smart one. I went too far." Her voice drifted with tiredness.

He felt her leg slide slowly over his as she tried to take in more of his body heat. "I need your friendship too much, Abbs. Understand?"

She nodded her head against his chest and mumbled, "Hmmmm mmmm. I need yours, too. But sometimes I feel…" she trailed off and he figured she had drifted off to sleep.

In his mind, he finished her sentence. "Sometimes I feel like we're missing out on something better."

A minute later, Abby's body jerked in her sleep and she was awake again. One of her arms snaked across his middle and she tugged herself closer. "Where did you go?" she asked before releasing a yawn.

Gibbs held her close to his side, feeling her softness against his tired body. "The lobby. Sat and watched the snow outside." He wasn't aware of it, but as he talked, his fingertips drew lazy circles on her arm. "Marta was there. She didn't say a single word. Never met anyone so quiet." Abby smiled against his t-shirt and let sleep reclaim her.

When Abby awoke in the morning, she was alone in the bed. Sitting up and looking around, she could see that she was alone in the room as well. There was a dull throbbing in her head from drinking too much and she couldn't remember exactly if Gibbs had even returned after she had gone to bed. But yet, she had a vague memory of his warm body pressed against hers.

Sliding from beneath the covers, she grabbed some clothes and headed for the bathroom. Enough light came through the windows, so no candles were needed. When she returned to the room, she was taken aback by the transformation. The wood in the fireplace popped and sizzled. The smell of hot fresh coffee permeated the air, and Gibbs sat at the table behind an open newspaper.

Folding down the top corner, he peeked at her and smiled. "Mornin', sleepyhead."

She leaned over her suitcase, tucking her loose hair behind her ears. "Hey, Gibbs. Merry Christmas."

He watched as she walked closer to the fire and stood staring into the flames. Then he got up and went to stand behind her right shoulder. "I ruined our evening last night," he said slowly. "Forgive me?"

Abby was nervous and twisted her fingers together. "I'm embarrassed by what I did. I'm so sorry, Gibbs." Her voice was just above a whisper.

Moving around her side so that he could see her face, he reached up and tilted her chin so she looked at him. "Rule six, Abby. No reason to be embarrassed. I reacted badly. You brought up some feelings that I didn't want to deal with."

"Oh… well, let's just forget about last night. It never happened." She wondered briefly what his feelings had been, but she didn't want to mess things up again, so she smiled brightly and held out her arms. "Now, where's my Christmas hug?"

Gibbs moved into her embrace and wrapped his arms low around her waist. When she pulled back, he stopped her and pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. "Merry Christmas, Abby." It always amazed him how easy it was to fix things between them. A few words, a hug, and a kiss was all it took.

Abby was once again her happy bubbly self as she moved towards the table. "I have two questions, Gibbs. What's for breakfast and what's the forecast?"

"Milk and cereal and granola bars."

"Perfect! I supposed you've already eaten."

"Yep. Over an hour ago," he said nodding. "The snow is expected to stop by early afternoon and it will probably take most of the night for the plows to clear the roads. Over three feet of snow. A lot of people got stranded out in it. Quite a mess for the highway departments to have to deal with."

Abby sat munching on her cereal. "Then it looks like another night in the zoo for us."

He could tell that she was unhappy. The thought of not spending Christmas with his dad was disappointing. "Afraid so. I already called Jack to let him know we won't be coming. We'll have to head home tomorrow to get back for work on Monday."

"Maybe next weekend, over New Years, we could go see your dad." Abby brightened as the plans developed in her mind. "I don't want to just give up on seeing him. We could take our gifts and celebrate Christmas and New Year with him. What d'ya think?"

Gibbs was touched by her consideration. "That sounds like a good idea. I'm sure it would make Jack happy." He folded his newspaper and hesitated before asking, "When you're done, would you wanna try another game of Monopoly?"

Abby looked at him with narrowed eyes. She figured he would never want to see that game again. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"You're on!" she replied and lifted her bowl off the table. "Set it up. I'll be ready pretty quick."

Throughout the rest of the morning, they ended up playing two games, with Abby winning both. "Don't feel too bad, Gibbs," she consoled. "I play this a bunch with my nephew and he's taught me a lot about which properties to buy when and how to make a good trade."

"How old is your nephew?"

"He's eight."

"Yeah, that makes me feel a lot better, Abbs," he replied as they worked together to put the game away. "Maybe a little later we could play cribbage."

Abby winced. "I don't know that game very well. You'll have to teach me."

"Sure, I'll teach ya. It's not hard."

"You'll probably have a better chance of winning," she replied with a cheeky smile.

"Don't be acting too smart," he warned in a low tone. "Or I'll take you out and throw you in a snowbank."

"Promise?" she teased again and as he came round the table, she sprinted away laughing.

But as there was really nowhere to go, she ended up cornered near the window. Gibbs stalked closer like an animal closing in on its prey. "You wouldn't!" she said excitedly. His face remained serious. "C'mon, I was kidding. It's cold out!"

With a devilish glint in his eyes, he drew his handcuffs from behind his back. "One way or another… you're coming with me," he stated lowly.

An intense fluttering shot through Abby's heart and stomach. Gibbs was gonna handcuff her… _seriously hot!_ Her low simmering arousal instantly sky-rocketed. He was so close now. His blue eyes determined. "Turn. Around." His command was anything but playful.

Abby thought about resisting. _Oh… wouldn't that be fun!_ Slowly she turned to face the window with a witty remark, "You gonna frisk me first?" She felt him move in close and she had to close her eyes. She was so turned-on right now that if he touched her, she wouldn't be able to help but moan.

When he spoke, his voice was so close… so deep. "You hiding anything you don't want me to find?"

_GULP!_

She stared out the window, raking her mind for an appropriate answer. But all she could think of was having his hands sliding over her body, searching, probing, discovering just how hot and wet she was. Somehow she found her voice. "All I ask is that you be…" r_ough, thorough, demanding, _"gentle," she finished softly.

Gibbs was so close that he could smell the sweetness of her hair. It was unreal how fast their flirting had escalated and now he needed to make a decision. He wanted to keep going. God help him, he wanted to touch her… run his hands down her sides and up her legs… frisk her thoroughly like a good agent. He could feel the desire that lay deep in his gut, rising and threatening to take control. There was a rushing of his blood, a throbbing in his loins.

Was he really going to drag her outside, into the snow? His eyes shifted to the scene out the window and all he saw was a vast expanse of whiteness. Thin white clouds scudded across the blue sky and even though there was sunshine, it still looked bone-chilling cold. Then it hit him… the sun was shining! "It's not snowing anymore," he said slowly and stepped to the side, closer to the window.

Abby realized it then, too, and stood beside him, gazing down at the parking lot. "Wow! That's a lot of snow." All of the vehicles were completely covered, some entirely hidden. She had never seen so much snow in her life and what she was looking at, concerned her. "How are we ever going to get out of here, Gibbs?"

"It'll have to be pushed into piles or hauled away. A lot of shoveling will have to be done, too." He turned and strode to the couch to pick up his coat. "They'll probably need help."

Abby felt stricken that he would venture out into such a vicious environment so quickly. "Wait! You're not dressed warm enough. I don't want you to freeze your…," she ended abruptly and shifted her eyes. "You could get frostbite."

Gibbs wanted to laugh at her concern, but knew that growing up in the South, she was unused to such wintry conditions. "I've got a heavier coat, boots, gloves, scarf, and hat all in the car. I'll be fine… dear." He smiled, trying to lighten her worried look.

"And where's the car, Gibbs? You can't even see which one is yours."

Stepping closer, he pulled her into a tight hug. "I'll be fine, Abby. You'll probably be able to watch me from the window." Drawing back, he brushed his lips across her cheek. "Don't worry. I've dealt with worse than this."

As he hurried from the room, she thought he actually looked excited; which he probably was, now that she thought about it. He'd been cooped up with nothing to do for almost twenty-four hours. Gibbs certainly wasn't the type of man that liked to sit around for so long with no physical activity. His well-toned body was proof of that. With a heavy sigh, Abby looked around the room wondering how long he would be gone and what she would possibly do to fill her time.

Four hours. That's how long it took for Gibbs and a dozen other men to dig out all the vehicles and clear the parking lot. From time to time, most of the men would come into the motel lobby to warm up for a bit before heading back out. But not once, did Abby see Gibbs come inside. She had watched out her window for a while as a large plow-truck had continually pushed the deep snow to one end of the lot. There were also two snow-blowers clearing paths and helping to remove piles that had been shoveled from around the vehicles. Eventually, she had ventured down to the kitchen to volunteer in making a Christmas meal for all of the stranded guests.

It was as she was arranging place settings on the dining room tables that she finally saw Gibbs come in. He was talking with another man but broke away when he saw her hurry forward. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs," she cried and threw her arms around his neck. His gloved hands landed on her hips and suddenly she jerked back. "You're freezing!"

He chuckled. "Actually, I'm all sweaty under this jacket."

Abby's hands pressed flat against the sides of his face. "Your cheeks are like ice!"

"Oh, yeah, feel my nose," he laughed, pulling her close and burying his face against her neck.

Abby shrieked as it felt like an ice cube sliding under her chin. His heavy whiskers scratched against her face and she tried to push away, pressing her hands against his shoulders. "You should have came in and warmed up," she admonished and wiggled, trying to get free from his strong arms. Pushing his cold nose against her cheek, he gave her a kiss. "You should go take a hot shower," she suggested.

Gibbs raised his head and looked around. "The electricity is back on?"

"About three hours ago," she happily announced. "So we've been preparing a big Christmas dinner for everyone. It will be ready to serve in about a half hour."

After releasing Abby from his grasp, he pulled his gloves off and tugged the zipper down on his coat. "I better go get ready, then. A shower sounds great."

As he turned to move away, Abby grabbed his elbow. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure. Anything."

Stepping closer, she lowered her voice. "Don't shave."

Her green eyes looked like she wanted to devour him and he felt the muscles tighten in his stomach. She never failed to surprise him or keep him off-kilter. Slowly he turned and made a hasty retreat to their second floor room.

The meal was a festive occasion for all of the guests. Those who had gotten to know one another throughout the past two days, pushed their tables together, wanting to share in the spirit of the holiday. Abby and Gibbs joined a group of men Gibbs had worked with and women that Abby had prepared the meal with. The wine and talk flowed easily but after two hours, Abby was feeling tired and excused herself to go back to their room. Before she left, she laid a hand on Gibbs' shoulder and leaned close to his ear. "Stay as long as you want and enjoy yourself. I'm just a little tired and want to rest."

His blue eyes looked up at her with concern. "You okay? I won't be long."

"I'm fine," she replied, squeezing his muscular shoulder. "No need for you to sit in the room while I'm resting."

She was on the couch, reading her book, when Gibbs entered a short time later. "I thought you were going to rest," he stated.

"No… I was really just bored," she admitted.

"I'll do anything you want, Abbs. Just name it."

"I think I ate too much," she said, closing her book. "I'd like to go for a walk… outside."

"The parking lot is the only place we can walk, but sure." He reached for his coat and scarf.

Abby also pulled on her warm outdoor clothes and they took the stairs down to the lobby. When they stepped outside, Abby caught her breath. "Oh, crap! It's cold!" Since Gibbs had already experienced the arctic blast, he didn't comment but tucked her arm in his and they headed for the parking lot. "I can't believe you were able to work for four hours out in this. No wonder your face was cold."

"It's gotten colder since the sun went down," he commented. "The sky is clear, so I imagine it'll be even colder by morning." She leaned close, as if she were trying to feel some of his body heat. "We'll just walk to the end of the lot and back. Is that okay?"

Abby nodded. "Yeah. It's nice to get outside. Look at these huge piles!"

Gibbs chuckled. "Reminds me of when I was a kid and we would play 'king of the snow hill' or we'd even sled down some of the hills."

Abby smiled. "What else would you do as a kid?" It wasn't often that she could get Gibbs to talk about himself, and she rarely heard about his childhood.

"You know… just the usual stuff, Abbs," he said, shrugging a shoulder.

"No, I don't know. I didn't see my first real snowfall until I was seventeen."

"I always built a snowman for my mom," Gibbs began. "For some reason, she always loved seeing a snowman in the yard." Briefly, Abby leaned her head against his shoulder and squeezed his arm. "My friends and I would build snow forts and have snowball fights. The majority of the time, though, we were usually shoveling the darn stuff."

They walked on in silence, watching their breaths puff out in small white clouds while the snow crunched and squeaked under their boots. There was no wind and the night was quiet. The highway going past the motel hadn't been plowed yet, so actually, they were still snowbound. At the end of the lot, they turned and started their trek back.

It was automatic for Gibbs to lay his hand upon the one Abby had draped through his arm, so he easily felt it when she shivered. "You cold, Abby?"

"A little, but I like being out here," she answered, hoping he wouldn't want to hurry back inside. "I was getting a little sleepy, but now I'm wide awake. The cold air feels refreshing." Pulling him to a stop, she released her hold on his arm and turned around in a slow circle. "I wanna remember this weekend… this day."

As he watched her, Gibbs felt his chest tighten. Most people were grumbling about the blizzard, but Abby saw it as something new and wonderful. There wasn't much that could get her down and it was why she always brightened his day. After making a couple of full circles, she stopped and looked at him with a joyful expression. Her cheeks were rosy, her nose red, and the rest of her was covered under thick winter clothing. Gibbs didn't think twice about stepping forward, putting his arms around her, pulling her close, and kissing her softly on her cold lips.

When her hands pressed lightly against his shoulders, he drew back and was surprised by the look on her face. Suddenly, he felt as though he had just made a huge mistake, and his arms dropped to his sides. Her eyes looked troubled and hurt and instantly she spun and ran back towards the motel.

Gibbs watched her run and didn't move a muscle to try and stop her. His feet felt as though they were frozen in the snow. _Had he been wrong?_ Hell no! He was certain that Abby had feelings for him. _Didn't she?_ Damn right she did! A woman doesn't tease and flirt and touch a man unless she had feelings for him! With determination, Gibbs strode towards the motel.

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><p><strong>AN:** To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** As of this chapter, the rating is **M**.

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><p>Inside room 214, Abby splashed cool water on her face. In frustration, she had shed her mittens and coat and scarf and kicked off her boots after entering the room. Now she stood before the mirror, hands braced on the sink, water dripping from her face, staring at her reflection. She was stunned by what had just occurred. For years, she had fantasized about him kissing her, and when he did, it was so unexpected. Grabbing a towel, she held it against her face and suddenly she was remembering. His cold soft lips, his taste, his rough whiskers. Her moan was muffled in the towel and then she flung it aside when she heard Gibbs enter the room.<p>

He was pulling off his boots when she confronted him. "Why did you do that, Gibbs? Why did you kiss me like that?"

She was angry; he could hear it in her voice. "You didn't like it?" he asked, confused.

"Of course I liked it!" She spun and turned her back on him. "But… but you don't feel that way… you've been pushing me away all weekend."

His mind was whirling. She was half right and now that he had kissed her….

Spinning, she approached him with that same troubled look in her green eyes. "Are you really trying to hurt me, Gibbs! Because you're succeeding!"

He shook his head in utter disbelief, not realizing until now, how much he had upset her. This wasn't the way he had imagined their first kiss at all! She was standing only a foot away and all he wanted was to kiss her again. One brief taste wasn't enough. God… now that he had put himself out there, he wanted to kiss her all night long. He wanted her. "I want to kiss you again," he stated lowly.

The very idea made Abby's knees feel weak, but when he made a move towards her, she jerked back and walked away. "You don't mean that!"

Stalking up behind her, he grabbed her arm and spun her around so she fell against his chest. "The hell I don't," he growled just before his mouth eagerly pressed against hers again. There was only a moment's hesitation from Abby before she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave a heavy sigh and whimper.

Then suddenly she was pushing back, moving away. "You can't do this to me, Gibbs, unless you mean it for more than just tonight." Her voice was shaky as she continued to back up. "You better think about this… be… because… once we do this… I'm… I'm not gonna give you up."

Gibbs slowly followed her path, listening with steely blue eyes and an almost-there grin. The passion he felt behind her kisses was greater than he ever imagined and his body was repsonding likewise. This time, he knew for sure that he was making the right decision. When her back hit the wall, he was able to close in and brace a hand beside her head. "I'm not gonna give you up," he responded in a low timbre. "I thought this is what you wanted. It's what I want." His other hand moved to tuck her hair behind her ear and he felt her shudder. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I won't be…"

Abby responded before he could finish. Their mouths were open and hot, tongues seeking and probing, hands gripping and squeezing. She suddenly pulled back and they looked at one another through a haze of passion, breathless, panting. Gibbs drew her in again, his lips hard and demanding upon hers. She felt his tongue plunge deeply and she let her body melt against his.

They moved away from the wall, towards the bed as his fingers pulled her sweatshirt up. Their kiss stopped as he stripped it over her head. His hands next grasped the hem of her long-sleeve thermal shirt and pulled it off, dropping it onto the floor, creating a pile. Next was a long-sleeve t-shirt that he peeled over her head and added to the heap.

Gibbs chuckled upon seeing a short-sleeve t-shirt next. "I've never known you to wear so many layers."

Abby's body vibrated, knowing it was the last layer. "I've been cold," she whispered.

His fingers began to tug it from her waistband. "Then maybe we should leave it on. I don't want you to catch a chill."

Briefly, Abby closed her eyes. "No! Don't stop… please!"

Gibbs swallowed hard as he dropped the shirt onto the pile. Her bra was small and black and he could see her hard nipples pressed against the thin fabric. He placed his hands upon the soft skin below her breasts then slid them to her back, pulling her into another long, hungry embrace.

Abby's hands moved with slow pleasure under his shirt, over his bare back, kneading his thick powerful muscles. Her heart began to pound in a quick, aroused beat. Gibbs lifted his arms as she pulled off both his shirts in one go and let them fall atop of hers. Her eyes devoured his bared torso then rose with her hands to his soft silver hair. She combed her fingers through it, over and over again.

He unhooked the back of her bra and she dropped her arms, letting him draw it from her heated body. With reverence, he lifted the weight of her breasts in his hands and she looked up to meet his gaze, her green eyes lustful and then fiery as he stroked over her nipples. Swaying forward, he dipped his head, flicking his tongue out to taste the tip of one and the sound of his name tore from her throat, breaking the silence.

His mouth laid a trail of hot kisses between her breasts, where his whiskers scraped, creating a slight burning sensation. Abby's hands gripped his hair and his kisses rose up over her chest and neck and jaw until he had recaptured her beautiful swollen lips.

They both knew what would come next, and with urgency, Gibbs pulled the button on her jeans free as he backed her towards the bed. When the back of her knees hit, she fell onto the mattress and he quickly dragged her pants and socks free, flinging them to the side. His hands were already working on his own button and zipper when Abby sat up and helped push them from his hips. As he kicked them free, her eyes locked on his boxers which didn't do much to conceal his impressive hardness. Without hesitation, she drew his boxers down, then swayed forward, her tongue snaking out to lick over the head of his cock, tasting his arousal.

Gibbs' hips jerked at the incredible sensation of her tongue and his eyes squeezed shut as he fought to maintain control. When her tongue slid over him again, it elicited a moan from deep in his throat and when her lips would have closed around him, he had to use all of his willpower to pull back. Abby looked up with a frown that quickly turned to a mischievous smirk when she saw the raw desire in his blue eyes. She had never seen such an unguarded expression on his face and it sent a thrill through every nerve ending.

Grabbing Gibbs' hand, Abby pulled him forward, onto the bed. Her head dropped back and she moaned as his hands slid slowly up her body, coming to rest on her breasts. "You're so beautiful," Gibbs murmured before pressing his lips upon a supple breast. His body lay to her side, his palm flat on her stomach, feeling her writhe when his teeth gently scraped across her nipple. Her moaning and groaning were almost constant as his tongue circled then enclosed around the hard tip.

Abby could barely think; he was driving her mad. "Giiibbs… oh god, Giiibbs… I want you now… now." Her voice was strained from the sensations that were building within her core.

Gibbs' mouth moved to hers and he kissed her deeply, taking her breath away. She was panting as he drew back and began removing her black lacy panties. She lifted her hips and he pulled the damp garment away. The moment he had them off, his hand slid between her thighs, his long fingers slipping against her slick folds. Abby's hips bucked against his hand, her teeth clenched. She was totally losing control and loving every minute of it.

Gibbs slowly circled her clit with his thumb then he stilled, with his fingers resting at her entrance. Again his mouth moved to suckle her breasts and Abby could never ever remember feeling so swollen and wet. Unaware of his movement, she suddenly felt his hot breath in her ear. His voice was low and rough. "You feel amazing, Abby." His tongue flicked her earlobe then he pressed a kiss just behind it.

She felt his body sliding down hers, kissing every inch along the way. When she realized where he was headed, she released the sheets clenched in her fists and grabbed his head. "I can't wait, Gibbs," she panted. "I gotta have you! I need you inside me!"

His lips were instantly upon hers as he moved to settle between her legs. Abby felt his hardness press against her aching folds and she whimpered, wanting to beg him to hurry. Gibbs shifted, placing himself right… _there._ Very gently, he pushed in, just an inch at a time. She was so tight and he wanted to give her body time to adjust, even if the slowness nearly killed him.

Abby had often thought of how impressive he would be but to finally feel him stretching her, filling her, and giving her what she had wanted for at least nine damn years, was beyond any one of her fantasies!

Gibbs whispered softly against her lips, "Look at me, Abby." Her eyes opened and she saw the dark deep lust in his blue gaze. His voice was low and rough. "Are you okay?"

Abby tilted her hips back, causing him to slide in a bit further. "I'm perfect," she husked, then wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him in the rest of the way.

Gibbs' head laid beside hers, his rough cheek pressed against her smooth one. "Oh god…" he choked, as he fought to hold his body in check. Together they rested for a moment, allowing themselves time to adjust.

Finally lifting his head, their eyes locked as he withdrew only an inch or so and gently pressed back in. It was a slow torture for both of them as each time he withdrew a little more. She whimpered and couldn't bear to keep her eyes open any longer. She could feel every hot hard inch of him stretching and pulling her muscles. When she started moving her hips in time to his slow rhythm, Gibbs moaned softly with each stroke.

They kissed hungrily while their thrusting increased. She could feel her body pulsing around him as she pulled away from his lips to scream his name as her release ripped through her. Gibbs gradually slowed his movements as her inner muscles began to relax.

Abby's body still rippled as her mind resurfaced, and she noticed that Gibbs was resting, watching her, his body still hard within her. He was actually waiting for her before satisfying his own need. She didn't know a man to ever do that before and it made the moment deeply intimate.

He nuzzled her neck softly, plying kisses to her smooth skin down to her left breast. Then he sucked tenderly but firmly just below her collarbone, marking her as his. She shifted her hips against his, urging him to move again. And Gibbs did, in the same slow way as he had started before. His thrusting picked up a strong pace as his body started to tense.

Abby felt herself responding and she bucked hard against his hips. His hand slid between them and pressed lightly on her clit. Hard… soft… hard… soft, in time with his thrusts.

And oh god… she could feel herself building to come again. His fingers circled her clit; his touch slowly driving her out of her mind. His mouth was against her ear and he growled, "Come for me. One more time, Abby."

Her reply was a ragged groan as his hardness sank deep into her body. She could feel herself coming undone again, more than the first time. Gibbs felt his own release imminent; to the point where he could no longer hold back. Then he felt her muscles tighten and she started to shake.

"Jethro…" she forced his name from her mouth and arched up against him, coming harder than the first time. Harder than she ever could have imagined.

The pulsing of her muscles pulled him over the edge and he ground out her name as he emptied himself with one final deep stroke. His face buried into her neck and he moaned loudly.

Moments passed and all Abby could hear was Gibbs' heavy breathing next to her ear. A light sheen of sweat glistened on his shoulders and back as he rested, still within her warmth. Abby's pulsations slowly faded into soft throbs every few seconds and it crossed her happy mind that they would be doing this again… and probably quite often.

Realizing that her hands were gripping his hair, she carefully released them to run through its softness in lazy strokes. Gibbs moved on top of her, still bracing his weight on his arms. His face nuzzled into her hair, then he gently rolled to his back. He drew her close and she flipped to her stomach, her head on his chest and a limp arm across to his other shoulder.

Sitting up briefly, he grabbed the comforter that had scrunched up at their feet, and smoothed it over them. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple, then left his lips there. He smiled against her hair and asked, "You okay?"

His words sent a wonderful vibration through her relaxed body. "I feel great. I don't want to fall asleep, this feels so wonderful."

"Go ahead and sleep," he uttered sleepily. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

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><p><strong>AN:** To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I am quite over-whelmed with the response to this story. Thank you for all of the lovely reviews which are definitely inspiring. Thank you to everyone who has put this one as a favorite and/or an alert. I also want to thank Gosgirl for all of the extra-special encouragement she gave me while I wrote this and that she continues to give me. This is the last chapter.

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><p>Gibbs slept for a half hour and woke with a start as loud laughter drifted through their door from the hall. Abby's naked body was draped over his, her heavy breathing indicating that she was sleeping soundly. For so many years, this was what he had wanted. He couldn't believe that he had waited so long, denying himself the comfort and pleasure of this incredible woman in his arms. She was everything and more than he ever imagined. From the moment he had met her, she had been like a force in his life. A force that kept him steady, made him happy, brought him comfort. But also a force that pulled at his heart, and then his desires, and eventually his self-control.<p>

It was another thirty minutes before Abby slowly came awake. She moaned against his chest, then pressed her lips against his skin, and tugged him closer with her arm around his waist. His fingertips were sliding up and down her spine and she was still amazed that they had finally… FINALLY come together. What he had done to her… god, he had made her come twice, so close together, so hard! The man was amazing… simply amazing, and they were finally… FINALLY together!

Pushing up on her elbow, she tilted her chin to look at him with a smile on her face and said something she had always wanted to say. "Hey, sexy."

The low gravelly words drifted into his ears and settled low in his belly. "Hey, yourself," he responded and slid down so that he was looking directly into her beautiful green eyes. For several moments they gazed at one another, while beneath the covers, their legs entwined and he pulled her hips flush with his. Abby's hand rose and her fingertips ran across the bristly whiskers on his cheek then around his chin. Her light touch sent tingles over his skin. "I should shave," he finally stated.

"Not yet," she murmured as her eyes followed her fingers over his delicious lips then along his rough jawline. "I like this. It's rough and masculine and… sexy."

"So you rather I had a beard?"

Laying her soft palm against his coarse cheek, she looked into his deep blue eyes. "No. It's not what I prefer, but sometimes I like it. It's rugged and makes me feel… wild."

Gibbs' arm tightened around her waist. "I like that," he murmured then pressed a hard kiss to her lips. The kiss quickly deepened with probing, dueling tongues and wandering, grasping hands on naked skin. His lips gradually fell to her neck and he traced her spider-web tattoo with the tip of his tongue. Nipping her shoulder, he mumbled, "Merry Christmas, Abby."

She blinked her eyes a few times, trying to form words and finally gasped, "Is it… still Christmas?"

His lips were blazing a trail, headed for her breasts. "For about another hour," he growled as his body was responding once again to her softness, her smell, her soft whimpers. Suddenly he felt her legs tug free and she shimmied backwards while pressing against his chest. "Abbs? Where ya going?" he asked with concern.

Slipping from his grasp, her bare feet sunk into the shag carpet and the sudden coolness of the air on her bare skin raised goose-bumps across her body. "I'll be right back," she said with a shiver. "Just gotta do something before it's too late."

She disappeared into the bathroom and Gibbs rolled to his back, breathing deeply as his body slowly calmed. Noticing that the room felt a bit chilly, he rose and slipped on his dark blue sweatpants and white t-shirt. He was intent on stoking the fire when Abby returned and came up behind him. He was knelt down in front of the hot blaze and he stilled at the feel of her hands gliding over his shoulders and her fingers slipping through his hair. Without standing, he spun slowly and looked up as her fingers in his hair tugged his head back. Instinctively, his hands cupped the backs of her legs and slowly glided upwards.

Abby had slipped on a bright red silk nightie that barely fell to mid-thigh. It had spaghetti straps, a deep lacy cleavage, and it hugged her curves perfectly. The feel of his rough hands slipping towards her heat made it difficult to think, but she concentrated hard and whispered, "Are you ready for your present?"

The look on Gibbs face turned devilish. "Oh, I like it. You're beautiful, Abby." Once again his body was beginning to throb as his fingers encountered the soft swell of her ass. So when Abby suddenly backed away, he wondered if she was actually trying to kill him. He had never had a woman put his body in such a state of flux.

"Gibbs, I got you a gift. You know, one wrapped in Rudolph paper with a bow?"

Pushing to his feet, he watched her pull a narrow package from her suitcase. "Oh… okay," he stated haltingly and walked to his own bag. "I got you something, too." As he withdrew the small envelope, he was again uncertain if he had chosen the right gift. Surprisingly, this year it hadn't been easy for him to find the perfect Christmas gift for his girl. For two long evenings before leaving DC, he had walked through the mall and along the sidewalks, window-shopping and entering innumerable stores to peruse items he was never satisfied with. What he had eventually decided upon, still made him feel unsure, but the moment had come and he had nothing else.

He looked at Abby who sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing with anticipation. "I'm not happy with what I got you, Abbs," he confessed.

Her enthusiasm couldn't be diminished. "Oh, I'm sure it's perfect. C'mere," she said, patting the spot beside her. "You open yours first."

Gibbs sat beside her and she wiggled closer, slipping the package onto his lap. It really was wrapped in Rudolph Reindeer paper with a white ribbon and bow. It was obvious that she had gone to a lot of trouble and put a lot of thought into his gift. Nervously, he tilted the envelope he held in his fingers and reluctantly handed it to her. Smiling widely, Abby pressed it against her breasts, then leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Are you going to open it?" she asked impatiently.

Gibbs picked up the package and was surprised that it had a bit of weight to it. He had no idea what it could be and as far as he was concerned, he had already gotten his perfect Christmas gift. Glancing up at Abby's lovely face, he caught a bit of her excitement and let his fingers tear into the wrapping. When the paper and ribbon was removed, he held a plain brown narrow box that gave no clue as to what was inside. He gave it a shake, but nothing rattled. He lifted it to his nose and sniffed at the end-flap.

Abby leaned her shoulder against his, causing them to tilt to the side. "Gibbs, what are you doing? You're not gonna guess what it is."

His face developed into a broad smile. "I smell leather."

"Okay, yeah, it's a leather necktie," she answered coyly, sitting up straight.

"Mmmmm, I don't think so. Slippers?"

"Boooorriiiing."

"Gloves?"

Abby was enjoying this little game but acted exasperated. "No! It's a whip, alright?" When she waggled her eyebrows, Gibbs' mouth nearly fell open.

Quickly he recovered. "Nice try, Abby." His long fingers pulled open the flap. "A wallet… a holster… a belt," he kept guessing and finally withdrew a thick leather roll. Slowly, he turned it over and around until it lay stretched across his lap. His eyes and fingertips grazed over the small bulbous wood handles of a six-piece palm carving tool set. "Abby…" he whispered softly. The ends of the tools were slipped into individual pockets on a leather pouch and he withdrew one. The end of the short metal shaft was an eighth-inch gouge.

Abby felt a lump in her throat as his finger tested the sharpness of the tool. "There's six different shapes and sizes," she commented softly. "Plus a sharpening strop and stone and a honing compound." Briefly, she nibbled on her lower lip. "Do you like it?"

Gibbs looked over and there was a shininess in his eyes. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I love it. This is a beautiful set. How did you know…?" he said and turned back to his gift.

"You have any idea how many tool catalogs are out there?" she started and rambled on. "I looked through at least a couple dozen and then whenever I came and visited you, I would look over what you already have and compared it with what I had seen in a picture. I've learned all kinds of things about tools I never knew. And you know what?" She paused briefly. "All the different tools that you have, are really interesting. The more I looked and read, the more fascinating it all was. I'm thinking about building my own little wood project."

Gibbs put his arm around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, Abby," he murmured. "Do you have any idea how good you make me feel?" His lips sought hers and the only thing on his mind was giving her a proper thank you.

As his large hand rubbed up the side of her silky outfit, she pulled back. "Wait… wait a minute." He slowly withdrew and when she caught his blue eyes, she said, "You're going to have to control yourself a little bit longer. I want to open my gift, now."

Closing his eyes, Gibbs gave a deep sigh. "It's not nearly as special as what you got me. Let me take it back and get you something else," he stated and reached for the envelope.

Abby leaned away and held it in her outstretched hand as he tried reaching across her body. "No way, Gibbs. I know how much thought you put into your gifts, and this is the one I want." Smiling, she gave him a quick kiss against his lips. "Now sit back, please." When he pulled away and sat staring at the floor, she gave the envelope a little shake. Then she lifted it to her nose and sniffed. "It's not perfume," she said thoughtfully. "And it's not chocolates." She glanced at Gibbs who looked up and rolled his eyes. "But I think I smell…" she sniffed it again. "Could it be… ink?"

Eagerly, she tore at the envelope and opened a Christmas card. Silently and quickly she read the note inside and smiled and giggled. Then she picked up the plastic gift card and looked at it closely. "Oh. My. God. Is this? How did you know?" She looked at Gibbs with delighted surprise. "Ziva told you, didn't she!"

Gibbs felt the weight beginning to lift from his heart. "No…. You like it?"

Abby flung herself into his arms, straddling his hips. "Oh, Jethro," she purred joyfully. "For over a year I've been wanting to get another tat. And this place," she said, raising the card again, "the Britishink Tattoo Studio, is THE best!" Flopping back onto the bed, Gibbs felt a flood of relief rush over him as Abby continued, "I've heard so many great things about the artists there, but it's expensive and I've been saving my money. Not to mention, I've been trying to decide on a design and where to put it."

"I could help you with that," he replied with a half grin and with a burst, he rolled them over so that he was on top. Bracing himself up on one hand, he trailed the other one lightly down her side. "When I get to a good spot for a tat, you let me know," he grinned playfully. His hand moved painfully slow across her red nightie. She could feel the heat from his large palm glide over her stomach then inch up towards her breasts. When his hand kneaded her supple flesh, her back arched off the bed. "This isn't a good spot?" he asked lowly.

Abby rolled her head to the side and bit her lower lip. "Uh uh."

As his hand slid south, off her breast, he said thickly, "I'm gonna need a better look at the potential locations." His hand slipped under the hem of her gown and his fingers gently tapped the inside of her thighs. "How 'bout a tat here?" She only moaned in response and he slowly pushed the silky material up her body, letting his eyes drink in her nakedness once again. All thoughts of a tattoo fled his mind.

Gibbs slipped the material over her head then trailed his fingers down her heated skin. Moving rapidly and silently, he stood and removed his clothes then settled between Abby's legs, grasping her hips in his strong hands, lifting her closer. She released a long ragged gasp as he slid inside her, agonizingly slow, then he stilled.

He could feel his control slipping and he had to fight to rein himself in. Falling forward, Gibbs captured her mouth in a demanding kiss and could feel her all around him, throbbing and writhing. Her nails dug into his shoulders and he ground his hips into hers.

Abby lifted her legs, rubbing her thighs back and forth against him, feeling her body clench around him. She felt him withdraw and return to her with urgency and force. Swiftly, he moved out and in. In and out, then slow… so slow. She felt her body swelling, her heat growing and she moaned and whimpered with his movements.

Gibbs mouth slid to her neck, his breathing increasing as he thrust faster, faster, faster. Lifting his head, he saw her neck arched, her lips parted, and her forehead creased as if she were desperately reaching for something. His blood felt like fire coursing through his veins.

Abby lifted her hips, anxious and fraught with the need for her body's release. Deep inside, she felt the pressure flow heavily, steadily and god… she was so close!

Gibbs felt as though he were drowning as his name ripped from her throat and her climax tore through her body. He thrust deeper, over and over, then lowered his head as the first shudder swept through his body and her name rolled from his mouth. Shudder after shudder rippled through his muscles.

He fell and collapsed to her side and they laid there silent, unmoving, listening to one another breathing, their bodies still humming.

Abby heard Gibbs mumble something and she turned her head slightly to look at him. "What did you say?"

He rolled to his back. "I said wow."

She cuddled into his side. "Oh, most definitely, wow!"

Gibbs pressed soft kisses against her raven hair. "We'll have to consider a location for that tat some other time."

Abby placed a kiss against his chest and smiled. "I wanna make sure we find the perfect spot."

"I'm sure we'll find one eventually," he smirked.

"Maybe we could look again in the morning?" she suggested hopefully.

"I think I'll be up for that."

THE END


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